Page 84 of A Queen's Match
Something snagged in Alix’s chest. Though it had hurt, burning Nicholas’s letters, she had convinced herself that it was for the best—that Nicholas would move on, as she was attempting to do. That he might find someone who made sense for him, as Maximilian did for her.
To learn that he was refusing to marry, defying his parents…
No, she couldn’t think about him. That path only led to heartache.
“Are we agreed, then?” the tsar pressed. “You’ll write Nicholas, telling him that you have chosen someone else, in exchange for our very generous gift?”
“No,” Alix said slowly. “We are not agreed.”
Sasha’s expression grew thunderous. “Don’t be foolish. This is a lot of money. More than you’ll ever see in your lifetime, girl.”
“That makes no difference to me.” She spoke carefully, each word deadly crisp. “I am a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. I cannot bebought.”
The tsar’s face had grown bright red with rage. “Icommandyou to write my son! Tell him that you two are over!”
“I’m afraid you’re in no position to command what I will or will not do. I am not your subject.” Alix tilted her chin up stubbornly. “You may control all of Russia, but as you constantly remind me, I am just a minor princess from Hesse. You have no dominion over me.”
Minnie’s lips pursed in disapproval, but Alix saw a different expression flit across the tsar’s face, something that might have been respect.
She should have waited until she was dismissed. After all, they were the Tsar and Tsarina of All the Russias, and she was just Alix of Hesse.
But that no longer mattered to her.
“I believe we have nothing else to discuss,” she declared. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
Alix turned and walked away. Not far off she saw Maximilian, balancing the four metal cups of water. He hurried to catch up with her.
“Are you all right, Alix? I have your friends’ water cups….”
“They were just leaving.” She plucked the cups from his grasp and set them on a side table. “And to be honest, I should like to leave as well.”
“The mineral water doesn’t sit well with everyone,” Maximilian said sympathetically. “Can I show you the gardens?”
As Alix headed out with Maximilian, she refused to let herself look back at the tsar and tsarina. They could watch her retreating form, knowing she had done the unthinkable.
She had told them no.
Chapter Thirty-One
Hélène
When the telegram arrived atSheen House, Hélène opened it eagerly, hoping it was from Eddy. Instead it had been sent by his sister Louise, asking if Hélène could come to Sandringham.
Finally,Hélène thought in relief. Eddy had left town a few days ago: he’d insisted on going to Sandringham first, “to soften Grandmother up before we tell her our news,” as he’d put it. Then a cough had racked his chest, and he’d given a watery smile. “And it seems that I’m still ill. Better that I recover in the country instead of passing this sickness along to you.”
“Norfolk will have you better in no time,” Hélène had agreed. “My mother always says that country air will heal you faster than a city doctor.”
She needed Eddy back at full health so that they could decide together how to handle May. The two-week deadline was fast approaching, and May still hadn’t left London.
Hélène folded the telegram and looked at her parents across the breakfast table. “I’m headed to Sandringham with Prince Eddy,” she said. “Violette will accompany me, unless you have any objections?”
Her parents stared at her, then exchanged a surprised, confused glance. Hélène saw all the questions they were valiantly swallowing back: What did it mean? Were she and Eddy together again? But they seemed to decide against asking for details—ever since the Romanovs had written, informing them that there would be no engagement between Hélène and Nicholas, they had skirted the topic of courtship or marriage.
“Have a good trip,” her father said simply. But Hélène saw his smile of cautious hope.
When her train pulled up to Wolferton Station that evening, Hélène saw a solitary woman waiting on the platform, dressed in a fur-lined cloak and matching hat.
“I hadn’t expected a personal welcome,” Hélène exclaimed, giving Princess Louise—now the Duchess of Fife—an airy double kiss, the French way.
